Every Bush Is Burning [Kindle Edition]

Brandon Clements (Author)

Book Description

A gritty, emotionally gripping story about forgiveness, family, and the sometimes tragically painful sins of the church.

Jack Bennett has a wife, two kids, the perfect job--and the perfect affair. When he is caught and it all comes crashing down, Jack is left with no one to turn to. No friends. No family, except his recovering drug addict of a sister.

On a Sunday morning drive, he sees a homeless man locked out of a church service, banging on the door. He stops and offers the guy a cup of coffee. He asks the man his name, and the guy says Yeshua. As in, Jesus.

Jack's not stupid. This isn't the real Jesus. But with nowhere else to turn, Jack forms an unlikely friendship with this eccentric homeless man--one that will test his idea of truth, faith, love, and forgiveness. 

And Jack is completely unprepared for the real-life twists his story is going to take.

Watch the trailer, get a free sampler, and find out more at EveryBushIsBurning.com.

About the Author:

Brandon Clements lives in Columbia, SC. He drinks coffee with no cream or sugar, once hit a cow with a truck (the cow lived), and adores his wife Kristi. This is his first novel.

You can find him at BrandonClements.com.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Reader Reviews (taken from Amazon reviews): 

"Couldn't put the book down, and didn't even begin to guess the twist at the end. An absolutely beautiful story on many levels." -Lorna Johnston

"I can't imagine anyone not remembering this book long after they've come to the last page."  -Shelley Waldaias

"Clements' book surprised me. I thought it was one thing, a typical jab at the Christian establishment, and it turned out to be something different, a jab at what it means to be human and to long for love, but to come up short, the kind of jab that makes us all start looking, and maybe finding, that love we had forgotten."  -Joe Bunting

Product Details

• File Size: 392 KB
• Print Length: 230 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0983785007
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Twisted Beam Press (October 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005STSP6O
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,239 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars On Par with "The Shack" July 28, 2012

By Anne M. Piombino

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you want to read a book that will shake up everything you believe about yourself, our American culture and Christianity, this is the one. More accessible than "The Shack", it addresses the same 'life will be brutal sometimes, and what does God/Jesus have to say about that' topic. The characters are believable, and you really feel like you could walk into the same coffee shop and meet them all. I will probably have to read it many times to get the full impact of the story, it's that deep.

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to be captivated? October 14, 2011

By Kathleen Brewer

Format:Paperback

There are very few books in this world that still captivate me, catch me off guard, or make me cry. This book did all three in one fatal blow, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

40 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great new story telling October 13, 2011

By Marshall G. Darley

Format:Paperback

I was sucked in from the beginning of the story. Every Bush Is Burning is a great read that will make you think, cry, pray, and laugh. I read it in 2 days! Not afraid to talk about ugly issues, Clements has crafted a great story of redemption that you will enjoy. I highly recommend it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing! July 6, 2012

By Jennifer Westall

Format:Kindle Edition

Summary:

Jack Bennett has a wife, two kids, the perfect job--and the perfect affair. When he is caught and it all comes crashing down, Jack is left with no one to turn to. No friends. No family, except his recovering drug addict of a sister.

On a Sunday morning drive, he sees a homeless man locked out of a church service, banging on the door. He stops and offers the guy a cup of coffee. He asks the man his name, and the guy says Yeshua. As in, Jesus.

Jack's not stupid. This isn't the real Jesus. But with nowhere else to turn, Jack forms an unlikely friendship--one that will test his idea of truth, faith, love, and forgiveness. And Jack is completely unprepared for the real-life twists his story is going to take.

My thoughts:
From the outset, this book intrigued me because of the writing style; it was different, and the author pulled it off well most of the time. The story is written as if it's a letter to a fellow patron of the coffee shop where Jack is penning his tale, a method I've never read in another novel. Though I'm sure it isn't a new concept, it certainly isn't common, which most people in the business will tell you to stay away from at all costs. Clements does a great job, with only a few sections that seem to go off on unrelated tangents. The only other criticism I have of the writing is that there are moments when Yeshua gets on a high horse and starts preaching, and it comes off as the author preaching a message he wants to get across rather than as a character truly interacting with another. Otherwise, the writing is crisp, and moves the plot along nicely.

The idea of Jesus himself appearing to Bennett was fascinating, and I had mixed feelings about it throughout.... But by the end of the novel, my concerns were resolved, and I could look back over the journey of reading this book and honestly say I enjoyed it thoroughly. I also loved that these characters were outside of the traditional characters you typically find in Christian fiction, without being controversial just for the sake of pushing the limits. I found all of these characters to be realistic in nearly all their interactions and dialogue. And I absolutely loved the ending, but I don't want to spoil it for you.

Overall, I'd give Every Bush is Burning 4 stars, and I would definitely recommend it to others. I would also recommend it for readers 18 or older (personal taste) for the occasional language and sexual references.

Happy reading! Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Yup, that just happened. October 22, 2011

By Joel

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have to admit. My expectations for this book were not that high, and I hope that I haven't offended anyone, but just to be honest, I wasn't expecting a great deal from this fictional story from a Christian perspective. I was greatly surprised and sorely wrong in undercutting Clements with such poor expectations. My surprise was only matched by my excitement in not being able to put the book down. It has been a while since I've read a Christian fiction book that I was incapable of getting away from. Clements pleasantly surprised me with his completely unique voice, compelling plot line, and tear jerking twists. Whether you've been a Christian for the past 20 years of your life, or whether you've never even heard of Jesus Christ, this book points out honest and deep truths in an easy to grasp way that is enlightening and captivating at the same time. Whatever your view of the Church, this book deals with the harsh reality of the existence of the church today, and does an excellent job of presenting the truth concerning the Bride of Christ. Every Bush is Burning is worth a great deal more than the 2.99 I paid for it, and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a heart jerking, down-to-earth, realistic work of fiction.

26 of 32 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not C.S. Lewis, but not Tim LaHaye. I liked it. May 4, 2012

By JW53

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A good read, one that I honestly couldn't put down until I saw how it resolved, and with some well-written twists and turns, I wasn't disappointed.

That said, the overall writing wasn't quite up to the standard of what I'd usually read (I like the classics, so that's a high standard), the dialogue (especially Jack's) seemed pretty unrealistic, the theology was pretty forced (not to mention I'm not "Reformed" like the author), and the "sins of the Church" angle was a little overdone (maybe another personal thing, I've heard this sermon before). I guess I like my Christian Fiction just a little more nuanced (C.S. Lewis style, which is hardly nuanced at all)... I actually struggled putting this one in the Fiction category altogether.

Still, a worthy effort from a new writer, a welcome relief from the majority of Christian Fiction (hear me Tim LaHaye?), and one I'd recommend to certain friends, especially those dealing with divorce, distaste of the American church, or substance abuse. Three out of five stars because of the description of the rating on Goodreads: I "liked it," not "really liked it" nor was it just "ok."

More About the Author

Brandon lives in Columbia, SC with his beautiful wife Kristi. He blogs at www.brandonclements.com, and in addition to writing he serves as a pastor at Midtown Fellowship.

Every Bush Is Burning is his first book, but hopefully not his last. He believes that the best reason to read or write is to have meaningful interactions over stories and ideas, so if you check out Every Bush Is Burning he'd love to hear from you at brandon (at) brandonclements (dot) com.